lyndon b. johnson for six years presiding over this body saw one filibuster. and harry reid in his six years presiding over this senate has seen 391 filibusters. and let me convey that even when you have the votes to end a filibuster, the fact that it is launched creates enormous paralysis. imagine you're debating a bill and you continue debating through the end of the week and you come in the following monday and you debate and nobody has anything to say and so somebody says, "i ask unanimous consent that we have a final vote on this bill." now, you see, we don't have a previous question, motion on this floor, so one has to ask for unanimous consent. any of a hundred senators can weigh in and say "no." and when they they weigh in and say "no" on that monday, on tuesday, a petition is put forward with 16 senators saying, let's have a vote on closing debate. and that vote can't happen until thursday, under the rules. and if it's successful on a thursday, you have to have 30 hours more of debate before you can hold the final vote. that takes you into saturday. s